Campus News:

Business school creates undergraduate honors program

LAWRENCE—Students at
the University of Kansas School of Business can now boldly aspire to new
heights in their business education with the creation of the Business Honors
Program.

The new undergraduate
honors designation aims to retain its highest-achievers and attract
academically gifted students to the school. Students will be selected based on
academic performance, leadership experience and professional potential.

“The Business Honors Program
will certify to employers and graduate schools that its participants are our
best and brightest,” said Bill Beedles, finance professor and undergraduate team
chair. “Each honors course will have enriched content and elevated
expectations. We have bold aspirations for our honors students.”

Honors students will
be required to complete 12 hours of honors courses offered through the School
of Business.

In addition, the
program’s students will be expected to participate in experiential learning
opportunities and to demonstrate leadership during their time at KU.

“The Business Honors
Program enriches the prestige of the University of Kansas,” Beedles said. “It allows
KU to retain high-achieving Kansas business students. The School of Business now
offers a richer set of academic options, including the majors, honors courses
and the business minor.”

Students interested
in graduating with business honors will apply for admission to the program as
second-semester sophomores. University honors students will be allowed to
enroll in business honors courses, but will need to apply to the program to
earn business honors designation.

“One of the unusual
aspects of this program is that each student is required to design a leadership
plan to be accomplished during the program,” said Doug Houston, associate dean
of academic affairs. “As an honors program, we thought these students should be
responsible for honoring their personal commitments. Rather than setting out a
checklist of things to do, we think personal goal setting can take these
students much farther.”

The program will offer
high-demand electives each semester with an honors designation. Honors students
will have the opportunity to enroll in selected graduate-level business
courses.

Business Honors
Program courses will be offered starting fall 2012 with ACCT 324: Honors Financial
Accounting II and MGMT 311: Honors Organizational Behavior. Other courses
available to honors students will include MGMT 311: Honors Organizational
Behavior and MGMT 499: Honors Business Policy and Strategy.

For more information
on the program, contact Bill Beedles by email or 785-864-7530.